Last night on the news you heard from counsellor Christa Courtenay speaking about reframing aspects of new COVID realities, and while she gave us the big picture, tonight we'll speak to another councillor about something much more micro. Basically, how do those of us who have to continue working at our jobs during this COVID crisis... how do we even muster the confidence to get on a public bus or cut though a crowd of persons on a crowded sidewalk? Speaking via video call for social distancing purposes, Martine King from Mind, Health, Connect told us about a coping strategy for the little things that freak us out about COVID-19.
Martine King - Counsellor
"Yes, it's a really difficult situation and i think that you know, for many right now, that is so real. having to get out and expose yourself every day to the risks that are out there. I really feel for these people, having especially something like having to get on public transportation when you don't know where the people are coming and going from and then having to serve the public and be in the closer confines of an office, so it's a really tough situation. And at this point stress is spiked, we're really worried, the bairn is working really hard, how am I gonna protect myself, but I have to do it. So I think the first thing, for me, for those folks who have to be out there every day and are more exposed than those of us who have been able to stay at home or maybe work in a smaller office is first of all to accept that fear, accept those feelings of anxiety and uncertainty and really look at what can I control and what can I not control. So, for example, we know the recommendations wash your hands, if you're on the bus, I would even say if you can get hold of some gloves, were those gloves. Do what you need to do in terms of protecting your health."
"Once you've done that when it comes to the racing thoughts you might have due to anxiety and uncertainty or when it comes to the emotional aspect and emotional health: but one of the most powerful weapons that we have is our breath. So wherever you are we do have a choice to ensure that we are breathing properly, and what that does, that signals to the brain to move from the really over-reacting, super, super scared part of our brain to the more logical part of our brain. And when we are able to do that through increasing the oxygen, through deep breathing, that really helps us and the people out there who are exposed every day. So, that's really important: being able to stop long enough and say ok I am doing what i can, breathe and know those feelings will be there to a certain extent, it's really just managing them at this point."
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